A Gentleman from Gascony: A Romance of the Huguenots — page 71: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A DANGEROUS GAME, 67 pressed by the richness of his dress and the confidence of his bearing, allowed him to pass. With pulses beating far more quickly than usual Raoul followed three young men, in sumptuous attire, up the broad marble staircase and along a brilliantly lighted corridor, until he came to a wide doorway screened by curtains of violet velvet embroidered with silver fleurs-de-lis. Through this doorway the three young men, who were a few paces in front of him, disappeared. Raoul hesitated a moment, and then, drawing a quick breath and uprearing his head haughtily, he thrust aside the curtain. What a scene met his eyes! The magnificent apartment, with its elaborate decora- tions of white and gold, was illuminated with thousands of candles in enormous chandeliers of: Venetian glass suspended from the ceiling and in sconces ranged at in- tervals along the wall. Over the floor inlaid in intri- cate patterns of rare and costly woods, moved an ever- changing kaleidoscope of exquisite colors, the sheen of silk and satin and the gleam of jewels. | For an instant Raoul was dazed, and then he was roused by the voice of a page, demanding his name and titles. Instantly he recovered his self-possession and answered in a firm voice: “The Chevalier Raoul de Puycadére, ambassador from Gascony.” As the page repeated these words, the three young men, who had preceded the young Gascon, started, faced about, and turned their dis wonderingly upon his soi-disant Excellency. Then they hurriedly exchanged a few words. Raoul caught two sentences. Gomicboo “S) (co i